1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a cover which is adapted for mounting in covering relationship to an attic access opening in a building, and more particularly to a cover provided with a pivotal mounting structure and a plurality of magnetic couplers for releasably retaining the cover in a closed, covering position over the attic opening.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Most residential construction includes openings in the ceiling or walls in order to gain access to an attic space. Building codes often require that such openings be sufficient in dimension to permit a firefighter to pass unobstructed. The size of the openings thus would permit a great volume of heated or air conditioned air to pass therethrough but for a door, insert or the like. Because of the typically large difference in cleanliness, temperature and humidity between the attic and the living space, it is very desirable to prevent dust and drafts from passing through the opening.
Attic opening covers of varying complexity are known in the art. These include simple cutouts of wood or drywall to more sophisticated covers such as an electric shutter system installed for use with an attic fan. More recently, U.S. Pat. No. 6,014,841, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference, was developed to provide an improved insulated cover for attic openings. While this cover had the advantage of snap-on installation and provided insulation to reduce thermal loss, it is believed an improved attic opening cover may be possible to provide greater ease of installation, use, and durability. Another type of insulating cover for attic openings is exemplified by the insulating cover shown in U.S. Pat. No. 6,966,153. This patent describes an insulating cover which is inserted into the opening from the attic side and is a unitary piece of material. While providing an insulating benefit, it is not readily accessible from the interior side of the structure, may interfere with ladders or other structures above the opening, and still requires trim carpentry to install trim around the opening in the ceiling wall to provide an acceptable appearance and protect sheets of drywall from damage.